In Honor of our Fallen Gay Brothers and Sisters in Orlando

In 2009 in Toronto in a speech at the convention I spoke of Gay men as survivors. Now, with this all too recent tragedy we have survived, yet, one more horrific world event. Some of us ask ourselves 'how much more can we endure?' The answer is that we need to continue to stand strong and to stand together as brothers, as gay men and as Americans to face whatever it is the world has in store for us in the future. We must stand strong and, in the end, we will win the war of intolerance. Victory does not always come easily nor does it come without a struggle nor without pain.

We have survived many wars, many personal losses and we will continue to struggle for equality with our fellow man. We share this world with radical people whose ideals, lives and minds do not function within a democracy; they feel their likes and dislikes should dictate that the rest of the world follow their ways. They only know violence and death as a way of expressing ideals. We act in reasonable and democratic ways. We are embroiled in an election race but we feel confident that however it comes out we will stand as a democracy and as Americans.

When you sit down to dinner tonight or tomorrow night stop for a moment and sit in silence and remembrance of our recently fallen heroes. Continue to honor, love and appreciate each other as loving friends and fellow survivors and know in your heart that we are all in this together.